iFixit Tears Down the New MacBook Airs

iFixit has performed its usual teardowns on the newly refreshed MacBook Airs.

The updated 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air now feature fifth generation Intel Core processors up to 2.2 GHz, with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz, integrated Intel HD Graphics 6000, and Thunderbolt 2, delivering up to 20Gbps, twice the bandwidth of the previous generation. The 13-inch MacBook Air also features faster flash storage that is up to two times faster than the previous generation.

Here’s a look at the Repairability Scores given to the refreshed notebooks:

MacBook Air 11″ Early 2015 Repairability Score: 4 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair).
● Once you get past the outer case, all the major components are fairly easy to access for replacement.
● The outer case is held on with Apple’s proprietary Pentalobe screws, so you’ll need the right screwdriver to get inside.
● Just like the screws, all the components—including the RAM and SSD—are proprietary, making replacement parts more difficult to source.
● Worst of all, this MacBook Air is not upgradeable after purchase. Like many generations of the Air, the RAM is soldered to the logic board, and SSDs are not compatible between generations.

 

MacBook Air 13″ Early 2015 Repairability Score: 4 out of 10 (10 is easiest to repair).
● Once you manage to take off the bottom cover, all the parts are pretty easily replaceable.
● Proprietary screws on the case require the right screwdriver.
● All the components—including RAM and SSD—are proprietary.
● As with the prior iterations, this MacBook Air’s biggest detractor is the lack of upgradeability. The RAM is still soldered to the logic board, and SSDs are not compatible between generations.